The APEX program will utilize the existing PhysTec and SciTeach innovative UA infrastructures necessary for (a) supporting a larger number pre-service teachers in physics education, (b) graduating more teachers from typically underrepresented populations, and (c) providing training for effective teaching in high need school systems. Characteristics of such high need school systems include: high percentage of low-income families; high percentage of teachers teaching physics courses for which they do not have appropriate preparation; lack of STEM role models and career orientation for students leading to low motivation in science and mathematics; and/or high teacher turnover rate.

The University of Alabama (UA) APEX pre-service program is led by a leadership team, the Physics Teacher Advisory Group(TAG). The collaborative team includes the project PI and Co-PI, a master teacher, a community college liaison, a school liaison, and a student representative.

Over 5 years, UA APEX will recruit and support scholarships/stipends for up to 10 physics education majors completing their professional certification course sequence. These pre-service teachers will be either upper level undergraduates (juniors and seniors), or alternative Master’s degree students with Bachelor’s degrees in physics seeking alternative certification via a Master’s degree program.

UA Goals and Objectives

Goal 1: The UA APEX program will increase the number and diversity of graduated and certified teachers in physics education. Goal 2: Students will complete a physics major and the pre-service physics teacher education program. Goal 3: After completion of the UA APEX, teachers will be mentored by a professional learning community of inservice teachers and faculty.

Number and Size of UA Scholarships and Stipends

Scholarships will be awarded to pre-service teachers who are undergraduates and stipends will be awarded to pre-service alternative certification Master’s degree students with a target of up to 10 students. Awardees will be enrolled in a pre-service secondary teacher certification program in physics. Each will receive a minimum of $8,000 and up to $16,000 per year with a maximum of two years, as an undergraduate junior and senior, and up to $16,000 with a maximum of two years for graduate students. Amounts will be pro-rated for fractions of a year.

Work on this project is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation, NSF-DUE-123919, titled Alliance for Physics Exchange (APEX). The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Foundation. Correspondence should be sent to: Dennis Sunal, dwsunal@bama.ua.edu.